Every year we get dozens of uninspired action thrillers. Take a former great, throw a gun at him and watch him go on a rampage. It’s a simple formula that doesn’t accomplish much. Elevation doesn’t really stand out from this pack, but with decent performances from Anthony Mackie And Morena Baccarinalongside well-crafted action, George Nolfi’s thriller is a useful moment in the theater.

Elevation Goodbye

In the world of Elevationmonsters have invaded the planet. However, they have a weak point: elevation. Above 8,000 feet, the creatures can’t seem to attack anyone, forcing humanity to move into the mountains to survive. This is not enough for some people who live there. They want to take control of their lives.

Mackie plays a father forced to venture below the line to obtain medicine for his dying son. He finds himself alongside a scientist he bitterly despises (Baccarin) and another woman (Maddie Hasson), leading him on an action-packed journey to save his child and potentially the rest of the world.

Along the way, the stakes you expect from most of these action thrillers occur. Monsters have unexpected weaknesses, and a race to find a way to kill these previously unkillable monsters ensues. As it takes place in the mountains, some interesting mountain-related settings paint the backdrop for some of the more exciting scenes.

ElevationThe screenplay, written by Kenny Ryan, Jacob Roman and John Glenn, is very good. It’s not particularly inspired, but it has some nice emotional beats to hold it all together. It helps that Mackie and Baccarin are really good together. The dialogue between the two isn’t always at its peak, but both at least deliver everything well enough to seem believable.

Director George Nolfi’s filmography isn’t particularly inspiring, but he does a decent job presenting the action here. The monster design isn’t anything very special, but the shootouts look pretty realistic, so the movie is pretty gripping at times. Again, it’s not the best action film, but it’s a pretty thrilling piece of work.

I wish the visual effects were better. Sometimes – especially on a particular set on one of those ski lifts – the green screen is so visible that it takes you out of the movie entirely. There’s too much reliance on CGI to make it work, which is never good. Some of the monster designs look pretty practical, so that’s worth something.

As for the rest of the technical elements, it’s pretty usable. The editing is a bit frenetic but keeps the pace well. The cinematography is pretty decent but mired behind the aforementioned green screen issues. H. Scott Salinas’ music isn’t particularly original, but it’s also enjoyable overall.

East Elevation Is it worth watching?

By the end of the film, many of the expected beats are hit, and I wish a bigger swing had been taken. I don’t need to explicitly tell you how it ends for you to know that it’s going the route you’d expect. Sometimes it’s easy to have a movie that you can predict, but with so many action thrillers being made every year, this one should stand out a little better.

At the end of the day, Elevation It works above all because it’s a good time, with great thrills and a good leading duo. Its premise brings an interesting twist to the genre, but since that part isn’t explored enough, it all comes down to the exciting part. This is a film that relies on its action set pieces to get your heart racing, and at just 90 minutes long, it succeeds in that effort. If action is your thing, it’s definitely worth a look. If it doesn’t, it’s not a huge failure to jump.

Elevation is in theaters from November 8.

Elevation Review – Action Thriller Is Not Quite Elevated Entertainment

Elevation takes its cues from the playbook of most other generic action films. With two good lead performances and some well-crafted thrills, it’s a good time at the movies.